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Mealtime Makeovers...Halloween Theme

There is really no holiday better for creativity or experimentation than Halloween. There are daycare parties, school parties, carnivals, fundraisers and costume extravaganzas. The options are endless!

This year I have decided to try out a few new recipes. When it comes to Halloween the other thing we all must consider is that there is absolutely nothing healthy about this holiday. Cookies, candy and chocolate lurk around every corner and at every door step. So this year, throw caution to the wind, enjoy some delightfully unhealthy snacks, and restart your workouts Nov. 1st.

In four batches, process the orange juice, milk, sherbet and bananas in a blender until smooth. Pour into glasses. Cut a hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag, fill with whipped topping. Pipe a ghost shape on top of each beverage. Position chocolate chips for eyes.

Chocolate Cheesecake Moons

3/4 cup butter, cubed2 eggs

6 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar1/2 tsp. salt

6 Tbsp. baking cocoa1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flour

TOPPING:

1 Tbsp. cornstarch 1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup caramel ice cream topping1 tsp. vanilla

2 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and add chocolate. Stir until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugars and vanilla; whisk in chocolate mixture. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt and add to egg mixture stirring until smooth. Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper and grease the paper. Spread batter into prepared pan.

For the topping, beat the cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla. Gently spread over chocolate layer. Drizzle caramel topping over cream cheese layer.

Bake at 325° for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 1 hour before removing from pan. Cut with a moon shaped cookie cutter. Keep leftovers refrigerated.